1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to horse treatment means and more particularly to an improved horse spa.
2. Prior Art
Horses, particularly of the racing type, frequently require physical therapeutic treatment for damages, sore and swollen limbs, muscle sprains, spasms and pulls, various types of debilitating diseases and other ailments. Horses are somewhat difficult to treat, being easily frightened. Heretofore, rigs such as the sling disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,835,815 have been used to immobilize the horse during treatment, but place a considerable strain on the horse, can frighten it and can interfere with access to the horse's body for treatment.
Horse spas and/or horse swimming pools heretofore utilized for therapeutic purposes have generally been expensive permanent immobile structures built below ground and requiring down ramps for access thereto. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,691,995, 4,183,329 and 4,197,815.
Unfortunately, some horses become frightened when having to traverse steep ramps and also when having to move to a below-ground position. Moreover, such structures are not readily available when the need arises, as it sometimes does during transport.
Units which have been made portable are generally of limited utility, such as the bath with treadmill shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,213, and are usually solely for exercise purposes and not for therapeutic, resuscitative purposes. Inasmuch as race horses are frequently transported from race track to race track at all times of the year, there is a continuing need for a portable therapeutic horse spa which is stable, soothes rather than frightens the horse and can provide a variety of beneficial treatments. The spa should also be inexpensive, durable and be capable of being used above ground.
It would also be desirable to have a therapeutic unit which generally conforms to a horse's natural environment. In this regard, it might be noted that racehorses generally are stabled in above ground stalls while at the racetrack and are trained in four-walled starting gates which they enter through a rear, closeable door. A preferred design of a horse spa should incorporate a similar design to make the horse comfortable and easy to treat.